Micky: Tell me a bit about yourself?
Micky: Is the fashion world really moving forward in terms of diversity and representation?
Micky: Could you describe what you think is the biggest problem at the moment?
Samuel: Hi girl my name is Samuel, I’m a model and make-up artist. I would describe myself as a non-binary, transfeminine person.
Samuel: They are pushing an agenda, but it’s still representation, I just wish they put in more effort to truly convince us that their intentions are true. A booking in which inclusivity is of importance should be celebrated. But I do see that people want to hop onto this wagon way too quickly. You can see this in certain mood boards of clients, small examples like not truly knowing the difference between gay and non-binary…
Samuel: It’s really not that difficult to add someone from your production that actually has the lived experience of a trans person, non-binary person or coloured person. And this will give so much more added value to the production.
Anna: Hi, my name is Anna van Dieren, I’ve danced at the Ballet academy for ten years and then at the end of 2019, I started modelling at Micha models.
Anna: I’ve had a hairstylist on set, that didn’t know how to work with my hair texture. Especially in Germany with E-commerce jobs, this happens all too often. Even my agency mentions it. It’s one of those moments in which I felt “othered”. It’s the type of exclusion that reminded me that I diver from the acceptable norm.
Anna: ‘Do you know the video of Haute Le Mode, in which the most recent Jacquemus’s Menswear presentation is used as an example of the performativity that we see in fashion?
Anna: Tokenism happens a lot in the fashion industry at the moment. It’s great for Jacquemus to include black models to show diversity, but it's more important to have a diverse group of people behind the brand and pitch in ideas, that way it's truly diverse. After the fashion show, these models go home as they have done their job for the day, but the brand still goes on, so it doesn't make sense for them just to stick a bunch of coloured models in the show thinking that is ALL that they need to do.
It's a great step to take of course as it is important for diversity to be displayed on the runway, but their job isn't done. Without a diverse group of people being involved in the actual designs and creativity behind the brand, that's how you get brands like Gucci making a blackface sweater and thinking that it's okay.
Anna: Exactly. It’s this over the top mentality. Everything in one, that I find so problematic. I have also noticed this in tv commercials. Around Christmas I saw this commercial from a grocery store, it was a family with one Asian person, a black person and another racially diverse family. It just feels so forced and unauthentic.
Anna: I think a solution would be to not treat this as a ‘trend’ and let it eventually fade away.
Text: Micky Hes
Ticking Boxes
At the moment representation within the fashion industry seems to be on everyone’s agenda. The stories of marginalized groups are more visible in the media than ever, but too often allyship stays merely performative, argue industry insiders, who question the integrity of the brands and clients that are involved.
Anna van Dieren, model (21)
Anna used to spin on her pointe, but now she stomps the runway. We ask her how she experiences the rapid change to a more inclusive fashion industry.
Micky: Tell me a bit about yourself?
Micky: Have you ever experienced the fashion industry as problematic?
Micky: Could you describe what you think is the biggest problem at the moment?
Micky: No I don’t think so! I believe there was a small uproar though.
Micky: So you are saying it’s also this preaching to be ‘diverse’ when in actuality, they aren’t changing that much you find the most problematic?
Micky: What could be a solution?
Concept creation: Isa Stoepker
Creative direction: Isa Stoepker
Production: Quinty Wegbrans, Domino Struik, Claudia Roerdink
Samuel, the only person that can be complemented by none other than Mariah Carey as “chic” on Twitter, she’s an amazing make-up artist that loves the power of fluidity.
© 2021 by Garment Magazine.
Garment Magazine is an independent production made by students of AMFI.
Mauritskade 11, 1019 GC Amsterdam
To stay on top of all garment activities, you are invited to join us on Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram.
